sacredpath | pc: marcoh

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From:

Nor have I. But I feel at peace in this place.

[she really does seem peaceful.]

Can I show you something? Will you follow me?

From:

boxcar

[ He looks at her and seems a little softer himself for it. He's glad, genuinely, that somebody is finding some peace after these tough days, and he likes Shadowheart. ]

Sure. What is it?

From:

sacredpath

You'll see.

[she gives him a smile, and then begins to walk into the dark forest.]

From:

boxcar

[ Follows the pretty cult lady into the dark woods. ]

From:

sacredpath

[this is killing me.]

I think what I like best about this place is that I'm not afraid of it. So many of you seem so unsettled by it, but there's nothing in it that holds any fear for me.

From:

boxcar

I don't think you were ever afraid of the other places either, were you?

[ Shadowheart seems like a resilient person. ]

I do think... I don't know. Maybe it is unsettling, maybe it isn't. It's just otherworldly enough, but it's like...

[ Hmm. ]

It isn't dissimilar to grounds that gods touch.

From:

sacredpath

Exactly.

[grounds that gods touch - that's beautiful.]

Every single place we have been before, I have been afraid. Terribly so, always. If I managed to hide it, I'm surprised.

From:

boxcar

Really? I couldn't tell. Sorry.

...

Is it that it's too... [ Hm. How should he say it. ] Bright?

From:

sacredpath

In a way. But only metaphorically.

[she keeps wandering with no obvious destination in mind.]

We've both talked about our faith, but I never wanted to admit it. I was consumed by the fear that I'd been abandoned by my goddess. That if she still wanted me, then I wouldn't be here.

From:

boxcar

[ Oh. Yeah. ]

...I get it. I didn't think this was a place I would go either. Not that where I thought I'd go would be better.

It's sort of the opposite. It felt too nice. Being here.

Although the recent things make me think, maybe it wasn't actually a mistake.

From:

sacredpath

I don't think it was a mistake, either.

[she looks at him, concern in her eyes.]

When you say you didn't think you'd go here... did you think you'd be punished for something? [or maybe more importantly.] Do you believe your god loves you? Actually loves you?

From:

boxcar

...Being loved by gods isn't normal. Not personally. Except for Sylvian, the old god of love, but even then her definition isn't like what you should expect from people.

With the right prayers and affinity, they will sometimes answer you with their blessings. But if you're asking if I've ever heard Alll-mer speak to me, then no.

From:

sacredpath

That is how most gods are. But it doesn't have to be. I know my goddess loves me.

And that's why everything is so much easier now.

From:

boxcar

If you feel that way, then there has to be something to it. You believe in her. If you haven't done anything wrong in your Lady's eyes, then I don't see why she would.

From:

sacredpath

[nodding.]

I haven't done anything wrong. I haven't done anything I need to repent for. Just because I had private doubts and private failings doesn't mean I failed her.

I don't know why I wasted so much time consumed that I'd be judged on those things. In my actions, I was always her champion. And I know now, with certainty, that is enough.

From:

boxcar

Having a few doubts isn't unusual, I think. I'm taught that it's the ability to still believe after it all.

...Champion, huh? That's a pretty big title.

From:

sacredpath

The title is Dark Justiciar. Somehow I forgot that. Maybe some trick of this place.

I think I'm here on purpose, to serve my role.

From:

boxcar

[ Marcoh's just a regular believer. Shadowheart, on the other hand, sounds like she's something more along the lines of a High Priestess. That's pretty cool, honestly. ]

Can I ask what that is?

From:

sacredpath

As a Dark Justiciar, I serve as Shar's voice in places she can't reach. I want to spread her darkness here.

This botched redemption trial is the perfect opportunity, isn't it? Everyone will be searching for something else, some other way to find meaning, in the wake of these failures.

From:

boxcar

[ Oh like a missionary almost... he just nods at the phrase 'spread her darkness', that's obviously totally normal. He's not a priest himself but he gets it's like a whole thing they do. ]

...I guess so, yeah. Coming from where you are.

[ Though, mm. Sounds like a lot of people are lowkey becoming god-haters in real time. ]

I think, if you have done wrong, it is something you will know. You did say if she is displeased, she would let you know.

From:

sacredpath

She certainly would.

[immediate agreement.]

And she has before, but I was naive. I hadn't seen much of the world. When I first began traveling, I was taken by ideas that I knew didn't suit a cleric of Shar, but I thought there was no harm in dabbling in those thoughts.

From:

boxcar

Curiosity is not inherently bad, I think. Though I don't mean to tread on what you believe, and how.

[ Quiet thinking. ]

There are a lot of things that. Sometimes don't feel right. They tell you it is wrong. But is it really wrong if it doesn't hurt anyone?